TAILOR-MADE LUXURY TRIPS TO COSTA RICA’S CARIBBEAN COAST
The Caribbean coast has a character all of its own: slower, less developed, with a rich Afro-Caribbean heritage that sets it apart from the Pacific.
Separated from the Central Valley by dense rainforest, it developed around the ports, railways and banana plantations of the Atlantic coast, with generations of Jamaican families leaving a lasting mark on the region’s language, music and food; English Creole is still spoken alongside Spanish, and reggae and calypso are part of everyday life.
In the north, Tortuguero National Park protects one of Central America’s largest remaining areas of lowland tropical rainforest, home to monkeys, sloths, caiman and hundreds of bird species. Further south, a single road follows the coastline through Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and Manzanillo, linking sleepy fishing towns, colourful shacks, long sandy beaches, coral reefs, cacao farms and protected rainforest.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO ON THE CARIBBEAN COAST
We tend to favour the southern Caribbean, around Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo.
Cycle between Cocles, Playa Chiquita, Punta Uva and Manzanillo, stopping for a swim or to snorkel at Cahuita National Park, home to Costa Rica’s largest fringing coral reef. Visit an Indigenous Bribri community to learn how cacao has been cultivated and prepared for generations, or stop by a roadside soda for fresh fish, a bowl of rondón, or rice and beans cooked in coconut milk.
Tortuguero offers a completely different experience. With no roads into the national park, travel is by canoe or small boat, floating through a network of canals beneath towering palms. Early mornings are best, when the forest is at its liveliest and wildlife is easiest to spot. Between July and October, green turtles come ashore to nest.
We’ve spent years travelling throughout Costa Rica and return to the Caribbean coast regularly. We’ll help you decide how best to divide your time, introduce you to the guides and local people we know well, and recommend the places we’d happily revisit ourselves.
ELSEWHERE IN COSTA RICA
From the Osa Peninsula’s pristine national parks to Guanacaste’s world-class beaches, Costa Rica is a haven for biodiversity and sustainable living.
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